"COIN OF THE MONTH" BAYSAN - "BET-SH'EAN", (NYSA-SCYTHOPOLIS), UMAYYAD, ARAB- BYZANTINE AE FALS
Sofaer 74 (same dies), Good Very Fine, stable edge chip, 29.6mm, 3.59 grams, Struck Circa. 660's - 690's C.E.
Obverse: CKYΦO ΠOΛHC around imperial couple seated facing on double throne, each holding cruciform scepter, cross above, between heads
Reverse: Large M, cross above, A/N/N/O to left, IЧ/II to right, A below, NIKO in exergue.
AN EXTREMELY RARE variety of a very Scarce Islamic AE of the holyland!
Listed in Sofaer who mentions the "crude style". According to Ronen Bachar, an area expert on Islamic coinage, they did not notice that this coin had a unique date of "VIII" as opposed to the the usual "VII". An important coin for the specialist collector with NO examples present in the auction records.
